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Monday, May 27, 2013

Meet Beth: Beth
K. Vogt is a non-fiction author and editor who said she'd never write fiction.
She's the wife of an Air Force family physician (now in solo practice), though
she said she'd never marry a doctor-or anyone in the military. She's a mom of
four, though she said she'd never have kids. She's discovered that God's best
often waits behind the doors marked "Never." Her contemporary romance novel,
"Wish You Were Here", debuted in May 2012 (Howard Books), and "Catch a Falling
Star" releases May 2013. An established magazine writer and former editor of
Connections, the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth is also the
Skills Coach for My Book Therapy, the writing community founded by best-selling
author Susan May Warren.

About Catch a Falling Star:

What
does a girl do when life doesn't go according to her plan?

At
36, Kendall Haynes has seen some of her dreams come true. She's a family
physician helping kids with severe allergies and asthma achieve more fulfilling
lives-a childhood struggle she knows all too well. But the feeling of being "the
kid never picked" looms large when romance continues to evade her and yet
another one of her closest friends gets engaged. Are Kendall's dreams of having
it all-a career, a husband, children-nothing more than childish wishing upon a
star? Should she hold out for her elusive Plan A? Dust off Plan B? Or is it time
to settle? God says he knows the plans he has for her-why can't Kendall figure
them out and be content with her life?

Griffin
Walker prefers flying solo-both as an Air Force pilot and in his personal life.
But a wrong choice and health problems pulled him out of the cockpit. His
attempts to get out of "flying a desk" are complicated by his parents'
death-making Griffin the reluctant guardian of his sixteen-year-old brother,
Ian. How did his life get so off course? Can God get his life back on track ...
or has there been a divine plan all along?

Catch a Falling Star reminds
readers that romance isn't just for twenty-somethings and that sometimes letting
go of your "wish I may, wish I might" dreams is the only way to embrace
everything God has waiting for you.

Welcome back, Beth. Why do you write the
kind of books you do?

I posted this answer on my Author Facebook page a few weeks
ago when the reason I write crystallized for me: I write books because ... life
is messy. And I write stories about that. About how we make a mess of our lives
... or someone else messes up our lives ... and there is hope ... there is
redemption ... It's the whole reality of "But God ... "

Besides when you came
to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

The day I married my husband, Rob – because that was the
beginning of so many other wonderful things in my life: adventures as a
military wife, motherhood, even the difficult times we’ve faced – God’s used
all of these things to make me the woman I am today, revealing both my strengths
and my weaknesses.

How has being
published changed your life?

Being published strengthened my relationship with God. I’ve
learned that, in God’s economy, being published isn’t about how many books I
sell or if I win an award or not. He’s using everything in this journey along
the writing road to conform me to His image – to make me look less like me and
more like Him. That means he’s had to scrape off whatever attitudes mar his
image: doubt, jealousy, fear, pride. And yes, all of those emotions have shown
up this past year.

What are you reading
right now?

I’m reading and re-reading a manuscript that is due to my
publisher in early May – and trying to ignore some wonderful books that have
arrived by Joanne Bischof and Jody Hedlund and Susan May Warren and Cynthia
Ruchti.

What is your current
work in progress?

I’m working on a novel called Take Another Look, which is a contemporary romance set in Colorado that involves
twin brothers.

I can’t wait to read
that one, too. My most recent series is about identical triplet sisters. What
would be your dream vacation?

I’ve been to Venice
back when my husband was in the air force and when our children were young. I
would love to go back with my husband and enjoy a romantic moonlit ride in a
gondola.

How do you choose your
settings for each book?

I’m having fun exploring all the different corners of Colorado—I haven’t begun
to exhaust the possibilities. But every time I travel some place I think,
“Hhhhhm. What kind of story could I write about this location?”

If you could spend an
evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

I can’t tell you how many times I read and re-read this
question. At first I thought about saying Elisabeth Elliot because I respect
her so much as a writer and a woman of faith. And then I decided my answer
would be my husband’s Aunt Jean. She’s my “mom in the Lord” – a true woman of
faith and a prayer warrior for many, many years. Our relationship has been
mostly long-distance and having an evening to sit and talk with her,
uninterrupted, would be delightful. She has the treasured ability of truly
listening when someone talks and her words of wisdom are laced with compassion.

When I wrote
curriculum for a Christian company, I wrote a script for a video about
Elizabeth Elliott. I became very interested in her life and the life of her
husband. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I’m craft-challenged, so I don’t do anything like knitting
or crocheting – and I gave away my sewing machine years ago. I love to go
walking and/or hiking in Colorado.
I’ve also learned to shoot at a local gun range, but I really need more
practice. I like to exercise and a relaxing evening at home watching classic
movies – think Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn or some of the musicals like Singing in the Rain or On the Town – is my idea of the perfect
Friday night. My family loves game nights too: Bohnanza and Scotland Yard and
Quelf are favorites.

What is your most
difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

I trip myself up more than anything else – doubting myself,
focusing too much on “I can’t” rather than trusting the talent God has given
me, the support system He’s given me, and believing that I can. The English
writer Samuel Johnson had a great quote: “Knock the ‘t’ of the can’t.”

Thanks for the quote.
I’m facing a daunting project myself right now. What advice would you give to a
beginning author?

You’re going to need a lot of patience along the writing
road. There’s a lot of waiting – both before you’re published and after you
sign a contract. Don’t waste the waiting. Learn the craft. Hang out with other
writers. Keep writing.

Tell us about the
featured book.

Catch a Falling Star was inspired by a conversation I had with
a friend who was in her mid-forties who has a very full, satisfying life: a
wonderful career, lots of friends, hobbies – and yet, Mr. Right hasn’t shown up
yet. There are lots of women in their 30s and 40s who face the same reality:
Life is good in so many ways but … And everyone deals with the question: What
do you do when life doesn’t go according to plan? While the book is a romance,
that’s the question all the characters in Catch a Falling Star have to answer.

Sounds wonderful. Please
give us the first page of the book.

What exactly was she celebrating?

The question haunted Kendall
all day long. It was her birthday—she ought to be able to answer it.

She pulled into a parking space outside her favorite Mexican
restaurant. Shifting into neutral, Kendall turned
off the Jeep and deposited her keys into her purse, exchanging them for a tattered
makeup bag and her ever-handy GorillaTorch.

Just once, she’d like to put her makeup on in front of the bathroom
mirror like a normal person.

Attaching the twistable hands-free flashlight to her
steering wheel so her face was illuminated in her rearview mirror, Kendall twisted her body to the left so she could trace a
hint of brown eyeliner. Sheesh. Most women used a makeup mirror. Tossing the
pencil into the bag lying open on the passenger seat of her Jeep, Kendall sorted through the containers of eye shadow and
lip gloss, looking for her mascara. A quick peek at her phone lying on her dash
told her that she had five minutes before she was officially late to her
birthday dinner. Yep. Enough time for mascara and a little blush. She assessed
her short brown hair—all it required was a quick comb-through with her fingers.

Her closest friends waited inside On the Border, eager to celebrate.
Nineteen hours into her birthday and she wanted to label it RETURN TO SENDER. Kendall couldn’t help comparing today with her thirteenth
birthday, when her mom decided to deluge her with pink frilly clothes. Pink.
She looked like an overdose of cotton candy on a too-short stick. She returned
all her gifts—except for the oversized stuffed pink bear her then three-year-old-sister
Bekah refused to release—and pocketed the cash.

Kendall swept blush across
her cheeks. It wasn’t that she didn’t have a satisfying life—an exciting life,
even. It’s just that at thirty-six years old, she’d hoped for . . . more.

The buzz of her phone mocked her attempts to be on time. Why
did she think she’d ever be in control of her time and be the first to arrive?
She abandoned that ideal the day she entered medical school. Besides, all the
other partygoers tonight were physicians like her. They’d understand when Kendall walked in late. Half made up. As usual.

She switched from blush to mascara as she turned her phone to
speaker. “Dr. Haynes.”

“Kendall, it’s Mom.”

Kendall’s eyes closed as she
mentally and physically sat straighter, as if her mother could see her. “Hey,
Mom. How are you?”

“I’m fine. Are you having a good birthday?”

“Just finished clinic. Going to dinner with friends.”

“Oh, how nice. I’m so glad you’ve found some friends there in
Colorado.”

The book came the
other day. I can’t wait to read it. I’m sure my readers feel the same way. How
can readers find you on the Internet?

Celebrate the release ofCatch a Falling Star (Howard Books) with Beth K. Vogtby entering to win a Romantic Weekend Getaway and RSVPing for her June 4th Author Chat Party.

One "lucky" winner will receive:

A $200 Visa Cash Card (Perfect for a weekend stay at a hotel or B&B!)

Catch a Falling Star and Wish You Were Here by Beth Vogt (Swoon-worthy!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 3rd. Winner will be announced at the "Catch a Falling Star" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 4th. Connect with Beth for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Beth will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Catch a Falling Star and join Beth on the evening of June 4th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 4th!

Thank you, Beth, for sharing your book and the party with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

I love the description of Beth, "a mom of four, though she said she'd never have kids". I also said that I'd never have kids & I am now mom to 4 adopted kids w/special needs! This sounds like a book that definitely needs to go in my to read pile. Elaine from Iowa

My husband, and other members of our family, helped our oldest granddaughter and her husband move on Memorial Day. So I was home alone. I took the opportunity to read CATCH A FALLING STAR. It is such a good book.

Having made some messes in my life, I am encouraged by books that show hope and redemption. I'm so thankful we have that through our faith in God. Thanks for writing such great books, Beth. I'd love to win a copy of Catch A Falling Star. I really enjoyed your first book.

Hello, everyone! I hope y'all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. My publicist directed me over to Lena's blog post just as I was going to email her and ask, "Remind me when the post for Lena Nelson Dooley is going up?"

Like so many of you, life (waving at EJ, Patsy, Patty, Pam) -- my life hasn't gone according to my plans. I've better able to embrace that now -- sooner, with more grace -- because I've learned to trust God (sooner) with both today and tomorrow.

Thanks for the encouraging comments from the readers of Wish You Were Here. I still have a special place in my heart for Daniel and Alli. For all the rest, welcome to my world, both real and imaginary. Thank you for joining the conversation.

This book sounds wonderful! I didn't get married until I was in my 30s. There have been things that didn't go "my way" or how I wanted then to go. God had a bigger and better plan. Sometimes I have to remind myself of that. My mom always says "Everything happens for a reason." Kristie from Ohio. kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you.